Will the LINK Starter Pack - Link Hub + 2 GE Link A19 Light Bulb work with Veralite? OR will just the bulbs (Link 60W Equivalent Soft White (2700K) A19 Connected Home LED Light Bulb) work without needed their “hub”?
I’m going to put together a veralite system and use a bunch of GE switches and other zwave devices. Trying to figure out what the best “bulb” solution is. Could use the GE lamp module but if a smart bulb will work than it looks like I could save some money by not having to pay 49 bucks for a lamp module.
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OK, I read about 4 pages back and found a post about the GE Link bulbs. It said that Vera could not pair with the bulbs but that there were plug-ins. So my question now is this. GE seems to have their GE Link starter pack which has some sort of plug in device that sounds like a hub, then there is a wink hub. I really don’t want to buy a wink hub so I’m wondering if the starter pack with the small plug in hub can be controlled via the veralite.
I’m assuming you are talking about the GE hub and not the Wink hub/controller? If that’s the case, not without some major tinkering as you’d have to create a plugin or the likes to have Vera talk to the GE Hub. Those bulbs are Zigbee and Vera is Zwave. Different protocol.
Option 1: snag up a Philips Hue hub on eg eBay. The GE bulbs will talk to the Phillips Hue hub (no fancy colors though) and there is a plugin for Vera.
Option 2: Find a Quirky Wink hub as they will talk to that. There is a Wink plugin that will let Vera talk to Wink.
Option 3: If possible, just get a Z-Wave switch and a standard LED bulb. Then connect the light to the -Wave switch and hook that up to Vera. They come as in wall units that also function as a normal switch or as a plug-in one that goes into a mains socket and you plug your lamp into that. No need for a Link enabled bulb that costs more $$$$
The GE Link hub can be added to a Wink account, and the Wink Hub plugin (soon to be renamed to “Wink Connect”) will control lights connected to it without issue. This has been verified by several plugin users who has the GE Link hub as part of their system.
@Cybermage: Ok, so now I am totally confused. Am I reading you right that your Wink plugin talks directly to a GE Link Hub without having to go via a Quirky Wink hub/controller?
[quote=“BOFH, post:2, topic:186987”]I’m assuming you are talking about the GE hub and not the Wink hub/controller? If that’s the case, not without some major tinkering as you’d have to create a plugin or the likes to have Vera talk to the GE Hub. Those bulbs are Zigbee and Vera is Zwave. Different protocol.
Option 1: snag up a Philips Hue hub on eg eBay. The GE bulbs will talk to the Phillips Hue hub (no fancy colors though) and there is a plugin for Vera.
Option 2: Find a Quirky Wink hub as they will talk to that. There is a Wink plugin that will let Vera talk to Wink.
Option 3: If possible, just get a Z-Wave switch and a standard LED bulb. Then connect the light to the -Wave switch and hook that up to Vera. They come as in wall units that also function as a normal switch or as a plug-in one that goes into a mains socket and you plug your lamp into that. No need for a Link enabled bulb that costs more $$$$[/quote]
Option 3 was my initial idea but the zwave switches are 39-49 dollars and that winds up being a lot more expensive than the bulbs. Was looking for something better
Option 2 make sense. Is there any advantage to having both a Verdelite and a Wink Hub? Add’s another 50 bucks into the equation, but if ultimatly enables more features than it might be worth it.
Option 1 Meh… Just another 1 off pass through that I’d rather not get involved with (unless I’m missing something)
@BOFH. Yes, the GE Link Hub is, essentially, a stripped down Wink hub. It only knows about one device type - zigbee GE Link bulbs. The Wink Hub knows about and can control many more devices and has more radios (zwave, for example) The process of controlling the GE Link bulbs is the same though for both hubs, therefore the Wink Plugin can control them.
@ctguess: I did not know that so now Cybrmage’s comment makes sense.
@Roveer: You can find them at Lowes for as low as $35 for the GE Zwave switch. There is a $15 off $50 coupon floating around that would make them $27.50 each if you bought 2.
Don’t worry about the Iris stuff, these are standard Zwave switches. Most of Iris zwave stuff works fine with Vera. I just used that coupon on 2 of the ZCOMBO smoke/CO2 detectors making them less than $30 a piece. If you go for the smoke only ZSMOKE one at 29.99 each, with the coupon that make them $22.50 after coupon fi you buy 2.
Lowes coupon code (Only works online and expires 4/22 but you can use pick up in store)
4700RRRRRR4676R
Replace each R with a random number (0-9). It may take a few tries but it should work.
I read a bunch of reviews of those GE bulbs and since they don’t have any sort of diffuser they throw uneven light with bands. Not what I’m looking for. So for now I’ve ordered a Veralite, a bunch of GE z-wave switches and a couple of lamp modules. I’m replacing an old X-10 system for a few lights and will continue to build my system based on how things go with what I’ve ordered.
The world of LED lighting is still all over the place and I just know that I’d be really put off by the diffusing issues. I read up on the CREE LED bulbs but they seem to have a very high failure rate. I’m also a “soft white” freak and can’t live with something that is more than 2700k. It’s my home, not an office building after all.
Thanks for the comments and I look forward to all the great things I’m going to do with my Vera. For one I’m going to stop my 16YO from leaving all her lights on. I’ve already installed a 30 second timer switch in her closet. That solved that problem!
Roveer
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